How to Make Natural Slab Tables

Slab tables are thick, natural slabs straight from a tree.

Slab tables are rustic and extremely thick. They are handmade from solid pieces of lumber straight from a tree trunk, often with the bark still on the outer edges. You might see a slab table in a backwoods lodge or a contemporary business. They are typically smaller than a dining table, usually about the size of a large coffee table because their size is determined by the diameter of the tree trunk. The tabletop and both legs are made from slabs to invoke the beauty of nature and your own woodworking ability.

1

Place one of the slabs across two sawhorses. Place clamps on both sides to secure it to both sawhorses.

2

Cut off both ends of the slab, using a circular saw. Use a carpenter's square to draw a line across both ends at your desired length. Typical length of a slab table is between 36 and 48 inches. Don't worry too much about getting it perfectly square on the ends as it doesn't matter.

3

Sand both sides of the slab, using a belt sander equipped with an 80-grit belt. Sand it smooth to remove the rough saw lines. Scrape off the bark on the sides with a draw knife, if desired. Alternatively, leave the bark on the slab.

4

Sand the slab again, using an orbital sander with 100-grit sandpaper. Sand and round all of the edges. Sand both sides. If you've removed the bark, sand the edges.

5

Place the second slab across two sawhorses and clamp it. Repeat Steps 3 and 4.

6

Draw and cut a template for the legs out of cardboard. Make the template 24 inches tall and 6 inches less in width than the tabletop slab. For example, if the width of the tabletop slab is 30 inches, make the template 24 inches by 24 inches.

7

Place both templates on the slab end-to-end. Trace around them. Clamp the slab securely to one sawhorse so that when you cut one of the template tracings, the other end can fall off. Ask an assistant to hold onto the other end as you cut it, if possible.

8

Cut out the leg templates, using the circular saw. Cut one first and remove it from the sawhorses. Clamp the second piece to the sawhorses and cut it.

9

Clamp the legs -- standing upright -- to the sides of the sawhorses. Drill four holes, evenly spaced and centered, into the top edge of the legs, using a drill/driver and a 3/4-inch drill bit. Ensure the holes are 2 inches deep.

10

Place 3/4-inch blind-hole spotters into the holes. These are small metal pegs with a sharp point on one end. Pick up the legs and stand them on the bottom of the tabletop slab, six inches from both ends as if they were already installed on the table. The sharp point on the blind-hole spotter will make a divot on the tabletop slab to show you where to drill the corresponding dowel holes.

11

Drill the dowel holes in the tabletop slab, using the divots made by the spotters. Drill them 2 inches deep with the same 3/4-inch bit.

12

Inject glue into all the dowel holes. Pound the dowels into the holes in the leg slabs, using a rubber mallet. Pick up the leg slabs and place them onto the tabletop slab. Align the protruding ends of the dowels into the holes in the tabletop slab. Pound the legs flush onto the bottom of the tabletop slab. Place one clamp on the side of each leg extending to the bottom edge of the tabletop and tighten it. It will angle just a bit, but that's OK. Allow the glue to dry overnight.

13

Remove the clamps. Liberally apply Danish oil stain to the table. Wait 72 hours and apply another coat. Wait another 72 hours before using the table.

Things You Will Need

2 wood slabs, 2 1/2-inches by 30-inches by 50-inches

Clamps

Circular saw

Belt sander with 80-grit belt

Draw knife (optional)

Orbital sander with 100-grit sandpaper

Drill/driver

Drill bit, 3/4-inch

Blind-hole spotters, 3/4-inch

Wood glue

Dowels, 3/4-inch by 2-inch

Rubber mallet

Danish oil stain

Tip

A draw knife is a sharp knife with two handles that you pull along the side of a piece of wood, using both hands.

Danish oil sinks into the pores to seal the table. It's a good choice and it can be purchased in lots of colors. But you can use any type of finish you desire, including polyurethane.

If the table rocks slightly when standing up, turn it over and sand the bottom of the legs as necessary to level it.

You can purchase slabs from most sawmills.

Warning

Use extra care when operating a large circular saw. Keep both hands on it at all times as this type of saw can kick backward.

About the Author

Specializing in hardwood furniture, trim carpentry, cabinets, home improvement and architectural millwork, Wade Shaddy has worked in homebuilding since 1972. Shaddy has also worked as a newspaper reporter and writer, and as a contributing writer for Bicycling Magazine. Shaddy began publishing in various magazines in 1992, and published a novel, “Dark Canyon,” in 2008.